This past Thursday, I had the honor of seeing a myriad of Madonnas grace the stage at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. I caught the Drowned World tour here back in 2001, but truth be told, I was so hungover from a friend’s Madonna party the night before that I really didn’t get to enjoy it.  

Two decades later (and in way better seats), I finally got to pay my respects to the queen in all her glory. There was a collective sense of good energy and vibes throughout the venue. Any place filled with Madonna fans is a place I want to be, truly the safest of spaces.

Over the course of the two plus hours that she played, I witnessed: a scrappy young New York hustler, an advocate, a provocateur, a nurturing mother, a dancing queen, a singer-songwriter, a legend. The show is divided thematically into seven acts, all of which comprise the story of her life. And what a story to tell. 

She begins the show with Nothing Really Matters, perfectly encapsulating her journey and philosophy – nothing really matters, love is all we need. Watching her ascend out of the rotating stage was like witnessing a goddess rise up and rise above. 

Early Madonna is celebrated through the accompanying footage on the screens as we were transported back to late 70s and early 80s gritty New York City. Here we were treated to a run of: Everybody, Into the Groove, Causing a Commotion, and Burning Up. One of my favorite details in the show is when she was playing her younger self, trying to gain entry into a nightclub and host Bob the Drag Queen said, “didn’t I see you at Dunkin Donuts last week?” to which she replied, “yeah, so what? I need a job, I need to work.” You get the sense that that scrappiness has never left her, no matter how much success she’s experienced. 

The end of Holiday featured a cool mix of Chic’s I Want Your Love, accompanied by precise dynamic choreography. She laments the last utterances of ‘holiday’ as her dancers fall away, until there is just one, whom she ceremoniously covers with her black cape. 

Moments later, we hear the undeniable sweeping beginning of  Live to Tell. As she sings the achingly fitting line ‘I was not ready for the fall’ screens project images of her first roommate Martin, her dance teacher from Michigan, and artist Keith Haring. All those whose lives were swiftly cut short by the AIDS crisis. The images get smaller and smaller filling up the screens, bringing to mind the memorial quilt. It was a profoundly moving moment, and you could feel the collective solemnity in the crowd. 

Like a Prayer was one of the standouts for me – she performed the 7” remix edition from 2022’s Finally Enough Love. The extended chorus always sends chills down my spine, and this coupled with the dancers hanging upside down – pure art. Madonna is an artist in every sense of the word. Watching this number, especially, was theater. 

Even though it was a grand scale production, it felt immersive, but perhaps that was because we were so familiar with her expansive body of work. One of the main highlights of the show was how interactive Madonna was with the audience. She has an endearing humor, humility and accessibility to her.

Right before the final act, a lengthy set of clips played, outlining all of the controversies that followed her throughout her career. At the end of it, you hear her say something that sums up her legacy exquisitely: “I think the most controversial thing that I’ve done is to stick around.” 

Arctic Monkeys + Fontaines D.C.

9/5/23 @ Mann Music Center / Philadelphia, PA

This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to spend the hottest night of the summer sweating along with Alex Turner and thousands of his closest fans. For no good reason, the Arctic Monkeys had never really entered my realm until my good friend and co-worker, Amanda, introduced them to me.  

We are teachers (by day) and back in 2016, in our intro slides to our class, we both listed our bucket list concerts: Arctic Monkeys for her, The Cure for me.  Who knew, back then, that we’d both get to see our respective dream bands in the same most magical summer. 

I’m always interested in hearing the story behind people’s musical allegiances. When I asked her why she likes the band so much, Amanda said: “I feel like I’ve grown up with them. Each album is so different from one to the next but is also somehow a natural progression of a band evolving. I was able to connect with each album at the stage I was at in my life from pining over someone to falling in love to making mistakes, we were always sort of at the same stage. I found them on MySpace when I was 15 or 16. Even at that age I knew Alex Turner was an incredible songwriter. I just love how they’ve evolved over the years and their utter disregard for the music industry.” 

When Amanda asked me to be her date to the Monkeys concert, not only was I thrilled to have the chance to see them in action, but I was also stoked to see the opener was Fontaines D.C., a band I had developed a growing fondness for. 

I was also excited about the venue: the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia, an outdoor amphitheater with incredible sound and amazing views of the city. Over the years, I’ve seen several shows here but each time I’m newly impressed – there really is not a bad seat in the house. 

As we arrived, I was pleased to see that most people made it in time to catch the opening act. Maybe it’s the teacher in me, but I get so annoyed watching people meander in as the band is performing. Fontaines did not disappoint and, based on the crowd reaction, seemed to have a pretty large following all their own. I was a little bummed that they didn’t play “I Don’t Belong” but otherwise the setlist was a crowd pleaser. “Boys in the Better Land” and “Jackie Down the Line” were my personal favorites. I look forward to seeing them as headliners when they play the states again. The full setlist:  Fontaines D.C. Concert Setlist at TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia on September 5, 2023 

Now for the main act. Firstly, the visuals on this tour were something to behold. Behind the band was something that I can only describe as looking like a large ring light. Inside, a fisheye camera projected the band and of course, the charismatic frontman, Alex Turner. My crappy pictures do not do it justice. Check out David Iskra’s photos here: Live, in Photos: Arctic Monkeys and Fontaines D.C. at TD Pavilion at The Mann in Philadelphia

My favorite part of the show? The crowd. I can’t remember the last time I attended a show where there was such an infectious energy from start to finish. Having attended a few shows lately where people were SITTING DOWN and getting annoyed with the standers, it was so refreshing to feel the collective, electric energy in the air.  Shoutout to the crowd in the Terrace 600 section. I’m gonna need to see Arctic Monkeys crowd energy at every single show from here on out. 

The standouts for me, a newish fan, were: Brianstorm, Snap Out of It,  The View from the Afternoon, There’d Better Be a Mirrorball (replete with a disco ball, of course), Do I Wanna Know? 

At the very top of my list was their performance of “505”. There is just something so damn intoxicating about that song and hearing it and the band live exceeded any expectations I had. The band is – simply put – solid – so much so that my old ass shouted “this is a rock and roll band” to Amanda during the set. To no one’s surprise, they also put on a killer encore. Full setlist: Arctic Monkeys Concert Setlist at TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia on September 5, 2023

Most bands I become a fan of before I get a chance to see them live. However, there is a growing list of bands I become fans of only after I have been given the opportunity to see them in concert. You know that rare friend with the musical taste that you trust implicitly? The friend that gets music the way you do. The ride or die who will reciprocate and accompany you to a show even if they don’t know the band but because they love you, they love life, and they love music.

Amanda and I, sweaty and ready.

Arctic Monkeys are exquisitely talented musically, and the songwriting and arrangements of their lyrics? Pure poetry. No, really. Check out the assonance and consonance on this one: 

I’ve dreamt about you nearly every night this week

How many secrets can you keep?

‘Cause there’s this tune I found

That makes me think of you somehow and’ I play it on repeat

The only negative part of the evening for me was when I almost got elbowed in the face by a guy who was air drumming next to me. Oh well, some want to kick, some want to kiss you. Or elbow you. 

As for my diehard companion, of the show she said: 

“The show was amazing. They sounded great and I love how they somehow sound so different live but also exactly like them. The visuals were so them – unique, impactful, and understated.”